The Greatest of These
by meghankatherine
Summary: - “And now then, these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” - 1 Corinthians 13:13 - My take on what happened between the gazeebo and the wedding. - Short Chapters, because I like it that way. -
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Sound of Music, or any of the characters. No infringement is intended.**

"**And now then, these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." **

**1 Corinthians 13:13**

Chapter 1:

The sun steadily rose over the mountains and spilled into Maria's open window and across her face. She felt the blanket of warm light lie across her eyelids, but refused to open them momentarily, not wanting to awake to find that every marvelous thing that had happened was a dream, but somehow, within her, she knew that it was real. It was too vivid in her mind and heart to be dreamt up. Still, it felt so strange, unreal and wonderful.

"_You can't marry someone when you're in love with somebody else, can you?"_

_With these words, she felt as if every weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, and when the Captain gently lifted her and his lips met hers in a soft and captivating kiss, no one could have convinced her that the ground was still beneath her feet. No one could have convinced her that it was truly happening. Most of the words that were spoken between them were a blur, for Maria was too ecstatic and in love to be thinking clearly. There were a few things though, that would remain intact within her forever. _

"_I love you." The words that had flown from the mouth of the man she loved, danced upon her ears, so beautiful and full of meaning, that it send shivers down her spine. Those three words would ring in her ears for the rest of her life, as the first time he spoke them to her, and as she would hear it from him every day anew, with fresh, pure, and true meaning._

_The other thing, was that he asked, "Is there anyone I should go to, to ask permission to marry you?" Those were the words convincing her the following morning that she must have been dreaming. If her legs would have worked, she would have danced with joy. Instead though, they had decided that they would ask the children, first thing the following day._

Finally, Maria bravely opened her eyes, and face the world of reality, which she had come to realize could be far more beautiful than dreams, if she let it be. Slipping out from beneath her thick comforter, she quickly made her way to her bathtub. Letting her nightgown fall to the floor, she dipped her feet into the scalding bath water, she cringed at first at the heat, but soon slid her body down into it, and seconds later, was fully relaxed. As she closed her eyes and leaned her head back, her thoughts again drifted to the previous night.

_She watched, silently smiling, as the Captain spread a blanket out across the grass, in front of a tree, looking out to the lake, and sat down. He grinned and pointed to the spot beside him, and she gladly sat down. Instinctively sitting down close to him, and resting her head on his chest as he leaned against the tree, he reached his hand over and grasped hers. She looked up into his eyes, and her lips were soon met by his. Maria knew that this was the only man that she has ever, or could ever, love. _

"_Tell me something about you, your past, your future, anything," Georg said, once they broke from their kiss._

"_Well," she began, tracing patterns on the palm of his hand, "I can easily tell you about my future, because he is right here in my arms." Georg pulled her closer, and they began to talk about their childhood, and events that had led to their meeting. Georg told her about his strict and pleasant, but unloving childhood, much like his children were on the way to having, after he promised himself that he would never do, and about fighting in the war and being a sea captain. Maria told him about life at the abbey and why she had decided to become a nun, touching gently on her dark childhood and teenage years, but speaking mostly about the happier times after she had left home and found God. The conversation flowed so easily between them, and they had stayed out much later than they had realized, for by the time they had returned inside, it was several hours later._

_At the door to Maria's bedroom, as they regretfully said goodbye, she tilted her face up to him to offer a kiss, and he gladly accepted. Without pulling his lips away from hers, he whispered,_

"_Goodnight, my beautiful," so that his lips brushed against hers as he spoke, and she softly gasped. With that, he pulled away a little more, knowing that she needed to take things slowly. She was, after all, going to be a nun, before they had met. She was grateful that he had pulled away, not sure if she could handle herself if he hadn't. His voice along sent shivers up and down her spine._

"_Sweet dreams, darling," she replied, as he pulled her into an embrace. _

"_Until tomorrow," he said with a wink, and turned on his heel and walked toward his own room._

Maria had managed to finish her bath and get ready faster than ever, not that it normally took her long. Filled with excitement and anticipation, she flew down the stairs to meet her fiancee , who was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, as he had heard her door open.

Standing on the last step, she was slightly taller than him, and as he pulled her into his arms he lifted her feet up and twirled her around. She laughed, and he set her feet on the ground and met her awaiting lips with a kiss. He led her, hand in hand, to the same room where he had sung _Edelweiss _and they sat down on the couch. Georg pulled Maria in close to him, and kissed her hair.

Always the first to wake up, Marta found herself in the doorway of the room where her father usually sat in the mornings, reading the newspaper. Her jaw dropped as she saw not only her Father, but also her governess. They were holding hands and he was tracing the line of her jaw, her cheekbone, her forehead, in little kisses and whispering sweet nothings into her ear, until Marta finally managed to stutter out shocked words.

"F-Father? Frau-l-lein?"

"Marta!" Maria exclaimed, jumping to her feet in surprise, while Georg remained on the couch, laughing to himself, his hand still grasping Maria's. Maria walked quickly toward the little girl, but she had already began running through the hall and up the stairs.

"Oh," Maria said, turning toward Georg, who was still chuckling, although Maria was quite startled, and rather embarrassed. "That hadn't gone quite as planned, hmm?" Her frustration was quite apparent, so was her need for the children to accept her as a different part of their lived, so Georg squeezed her hand to comfort her.

"It will be all right, darling," he said, confidant in the children's love and admiration for her, "She has gone up to inform her sisters though, without a doubt." He smiled and gestured towards following her.

The couple, fingers still intertwined, walked up the stairs toward the nursery, which led to each of the children's rooms. Maria was quite nervous, but Georg realized that there was no need to be.

"Are you ready, my love?" he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. She smiled and nodded, and felt a strong warm hand press against her cheek, before he pushed through the door to the two youngest girls' room, where he found Gretl, Marta, and also Liesl.

"See!" Marta exclaimed, looking at Gretl, but gesturing towards the couple's interlocked fingers. "I wasn't lying, Gretl!"

Liesl didn't seem to need much convincing, as she jumped to her feet off the end up Gretl's bed, where Gretl sat, wide-eyed.

"Oh Father! Fraulein! I knew it all along, you know! Friedrich did too, we could tell!" Maria's cheeks turned pink, but Georg seemed amused, as he seemed to with each of the children's reactions.

"Is that so Liesl? Well, why don't you get your brothers and sisters together and meet us in the living room in about half an hour, hmm?" Georg said, before leading Maria out of the room and back down the stairs. Halfway down, Maria stopped.

"Were we that obvious, darling?"

"Well, apparently we were." He grinned. "I had assumed that my imagination was running rampant with what I wanted to see when I suspected that I saw love in your beautiful blue eyes."

Maria began to look down in modesty and slight embarrassment, still with a smile, but Georg caught her chin with his hand, and lifted her face gently toward his and softly kissed her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Liesl?" Gretl asked as she helped her into her dress.

"Hmm?"

"What is going to happen?"

"What do you mean?" Liesl asked, though slightly distracted, as she zipped the back of the little girl's dress.

"I mean," she turned around and looked at her sister, who was knelt on the ground at her level. Liesl couldn't help but smile at the girl's seriousness as she placed her hands on her eldest sister's shoulders. "I mean that Marta said that Father and Fraulein Maria were real close, like in love people. Are they?"

Liesl again smiled. She had noticed the looks between them, and how Fraulein always seemed to blush when they were close. She had also noticed the vulnerability in her father's eyes, that she hadn't seen in a long time although he seemed perfectly confidant and emotionless towards the baroness.

"I guess we will just have to wait and see what they tell us, right?" she replied, tapping the end of the girl's nose with her finger, before standing up to do her hair. She picked up her brush and began to absentmindedly comb the tangles out.

_Liesl wrote in her leather bound diary about the exciting day, and all that it had contained, while sitting up on her bed over the covers, while dressed in her nightgown, when she heard a knock on the door. After placing a ribbon in the book to mark her spot, and setting it on her bedside table, she called to the mysterious person on the other side of the door._

"_Come in?"_

_Friedrich, looking very cautious and sneaky, opened the girl's bedroom door just enough to slid in, and closed it immediately behind him._

"_Friedrich? What is it? Is something the matter?" she asked, a bit worried, as she pulled her legs over the side of the bed and sat upright. Liesl and her brother talked often after the younger ones had gone to bed, for they were closest in age, but he looked awfully worried tonight._

"_Oh," he began, letting out a small laugh, seeing the worried look on his sister's face. "It's nothing, I just didn't want any of the party guests to see me."_

_Liesl smiled and gestured toward the empty space on the bed next to her, and he sat down._

"_So did you see Father and Fraulein Maria tonight?" he asked excitedly._

"_Yes!" Liesl exclaimed, a little too loudly, and cupped her hand over her mouth. "Yes," she repeated, in a quieter tone. "I thought that they were going to kiss!" Friedrich nodded furiously._

"_I did as well! I was surprised when Father went to dance with her. I know we have talked about our suspicions about them, but tonight..." the boy paused, and Liesl quickly filled in for him._

"_Tonight confirmed it!" She grinned._

"_Right." he said with a laugh._

"Liesl, are you going to do my hair now?" Marta's voice broke her thoughts.

"Yes." She laughed. "Why don't you tell me exactly what you saw Father and Fraulein Maria doing, hmm?"

"Okay!"

* * *

Standing on the back patio, with her hands on the railing, Maria was lost in thought. She was still slightly worried about being accepted into the family as a mother. She had been worried when she first arrived about being accepted as a governess, but this was different. She loved each one of the children for different and wonderful reasons, and the thought of them being her own thrilled her. Mostly though, she loved Georg, and she wanted there to be little or no conflict with their relationship.

Just as her thoughts had turned to him, she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind.

"My beautiful," he kissed the back of her hair. "Lovely," he kissed her cheek. "Amazing," he kissed her lips. "Maria." At this, she couldn't help but forget all of her worries. She grinned wide, but realizing her worried look before he had approached her, he asked, "What's on your mind, darling?"

"Oh, just curious about the children's reactions, I suppose."

"Maria, Maria. They_ adore_ you." He smiled at her. "I adore you. How could I not?"

Her cheeks turned pink, just as they heard 14 little footsteps rushing down the stairs, full of excited chatter. They smiled at each other and walked inside, hand in hand.

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who has left reviews! They mean so much to me!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

They were all there, lined up on the couch. Gretl on Liesl's lap, then Marta, Friedrich, Louisa, Brigitta, and Kurt, and they all sat with expectant eyes. The Captain looked across each of their faces, which all seemed pleasant, and were waiting to be delivered news which they seemed to already know was good. Maria looked at the floor, tracing an invisible pattern with the toe of her shoe.

"Well, children," Georg began, "I suspect most of you have an idea of what you are about to hear." The children excitedly smiled at each other. "The point of this meeting," he paused and looked at Maria. "Is that I would like to request your permission, to take this wonderful lady," he grasped Maria's hand and kissed it, "as my wife."

"You're asking us?" Brigitta spoke after a few seconds. Georg smiled.

"Well, _of course_!" Louisa chimed in, and the rest of the children excitedly agreed.

"_Finally_." Georg raised his eyebrows and Friedrich, and opened his mouth to speak, but Liesl did first.

"We won't be seeing any more of the Baroness, will we Father?" she asked in a sarcastic tone that surprised her father, and Kurt laughed.

"No," Georg said. "No, you will not." More cheers from the children.

"Now then," Georg turned to Maria, who had yet to say a word. He smiled and bent down on one knee. "Would you do the honor of being my wife, Maria?" he asked as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket, and opened it towards her.

"Oh, yes. Yes!" Georg saw a tear fall from her eye as he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger, and then kissed her lips, small and sweet, as appropriate as he could make it for in front of the children.

* * *

"Oh darling," Maria wrapped her arms around Georg once the children had gone in the dining room for breakfast. "How did you manage? I mean, only last night.."

"I sent for it after you went to bed, and it arrived moments before you came downstairs." Maria fingered the white gold ring. It had 3 diamonds in the center, the middle one larger than the other two, and a small cross on either side, embedded in with tiny diamonds.

"It's beautiful. I love it." She softly kissed her fiancee's lips.

"Only the best for you, my love,"

Maria smiled, wondering how she could be so fortunate, to be in the arms of this wonderful man, whom she felt that she didn't deserve. Georg ran his fingers gently through her hair and placed a small kiss on her temple.

"What do you say we go in and have breakfast with the children, love?" Maria just grinned as Georg led her into the dining room.

They took their places at the table, Maria blessed the food, and they began to eat.

"What are we going to do today, Father?"

"Well Kurt, to start maybe you should get the egg off of your face," the Captain responded, and everyone laughed.

"What else?" Gretl spoke with the sweet and innocent voice only one of so little years could posses, and one couldn't help but smile at.

"I was thinking a picnic would be nice, or a trip into town. Whatever you like, Maria," he smiled. Truth be told, he didn't care what they did, as long as he was with her, and likewise for Maria.

"I think a picnic sounds quite lovely. It is so wonderful out side, don't you think?"

The children excitedly agreed.

* * *

"This day," Georg thought aloud, "couldn't be any more marvelous." He looked down into Maria's eyes; clear blue and sparkling. The Captain was sitting on a large blanket spread out on the grass, leaning slightly to one side, propped up on his arm, and Maria's head rested on his lap. The weather was perfect, the boys were playing catch, Louisa and Brigitta were playing cards on the blanket, and Liesl was picking plowers with the two younger girls.

Maria closed her eyes as she felt Georg begin to trace her face with his index and middle finger. Along her forehead, down her cheek, along her jawbone, across her lips. She instinctively kissed his fingers as they ran across her lips, and opened her eyes, and her gaze was met by his. She sighed softly and closed her eyes again, but Georg couldn't break his eyes away from her. He couldn't help but notice her radiant beauty, which seemed to shine from within her and make the rest of her glow. He ran his fingers through her soft hair, and before realizing what he was saying, he spoke.

"You're beautiful." She looked up at him and laughed softly. Unaware momentarily of anyone's presence but each other's, he leaned down and softly kissed her lips. They were simply captivated by each other. She slid her arm up and placed it on his neck.

Gretl, who had walked up without either of them noticing, hands full of flowers, looked at her father and governess, and thought them to be quite strange. Her head was on his lap, and he was bent down kissing her, so they were upside down to each other. Gretl turned her head sideways to try to find a view that made sense.

"Engaged people sure are funny, right Louisa?" Louisa and Brigitta laughed, and Maria gasped softly as the couple broke apart from their strangely positioned, but romantic kiss.

"I suppose they are, Gretl," Louisa replied, laughing as Maria felt the blood rush to her cheeks, and the captain grinned. Seeing Maria's embarrassment, he couldn't help but smile.

"Well I think that young ladies who embarrass their parents are funny!" he said, reaching over to tickle her, but she laughed and jumped out of the way, knowing well that he wouldn't get up. He continued to joke with the children, but Maria was still playing his words over in her mind. "Her parents." She was one of the parents of these fine children, or would be soon. Maria couldn't think of anything that would make her happier: being the mother of these wonderful children and being the wife of this amazing man.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Maria sat on the steps of the porch on the back of the house. She gazed admiringly at the lake, the mountains, the stars. Georg had offered to put the children to bed, so Maria sat there, waiting for him.

"Fraulein Maria?" She heard footsteps approach her and stop right behind her.

"Yes?"

"May we talk?"

"Of course, Liesl." The girl sat down beside Maria on the steps.

"I was thinking," Liesl began, as Maria listened whole-heartedly, as she always did. "I loved Mother very much. We all did. She died right after Gretl was born, but Friedrich, Louisa and I, we remember her well." Maria reached over and held her hand, but remained silent. Liesl continued, "When she died, I...I didn't know what to do. I wished I were dead as well. I tried to turn to Father but, I assumed that he had stopped loving us children. It seemed like he had died with her. For years, I felt so lost. Friedrich and I, we basically raised the younger ones. But then you came, Fraulein," Liesl felt her eyes begin to burn with tears threatening to fall, as did Maria. "And you saved us, and you saved Father, too. Now to know that you two love each other, that you won't ever leave us..." A tear dripped from Liesl's cheek onto Maria's hand, which lay atop Liesl's on her lap. "You're our angel. I think that if Mother could have chosen anyone to be our new mother, and Father's new wife, she would have chosen you. Part of me thinks that she did. That's silly right?" Maria found her voice to speak, although she didn't think she would be able to.

"No, no, no." The tears began to fall uncontrollably from the girl's eyes, but Maria managed to compose herself well enough to comfort her. That sat like that for a while, Liesl in Maria's arms, just crying, until Georg appeared in the doorway, and told her that it was time for her to say goodnight. Liesl smiled through her tear soaked eyes.

"Goodnight Fraulein."

"Goodnight darling. And thank you." She squeezed her hand and she ran upstairs to bed.

"What was all that about, my darling?"

"Oh nothing. Just girl stuff." She stood up and was greeted by a kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Georg." They stood like that, staring into each other's eyes, lost for a moment in each other, before they finally turned to go inside.

"I think it's time that we both got some sleep. We have tomorrow to spend together." Maria smiled at him, not wanting to leave his presence, but still, wanting to rise early the next day to be with him.

"And every day." He kissed her gently. "For the rest of our lives."

* * *

At breakfast, Maria and Georg couldn't take their eyes off of each other. The children, of course, found this to be rather amusing. Kurt, thinking that they must be _completely_ out of it, decided to test his limits. So he picked up a piece of toast and put it atop his head.

"Kurt, what _are_ you doing?"

"Nothing, Father," Kurt took his toast down and bit into it, embarrassed as the other children laughed.

"Isn't that all hairy, brother?" Gretl scrunched up her nose.

"No, because I switched it with yours!" Although they were sitting on opposite ends of the table, the little girl gasped and looked down at her plate, wide-eyed.

"How!"

"Magic!" Louisa teased, waving her fingers. Gretl's jaw dropped but Georg spoke before anything else happened.

"What do you say we all go out onto the terrace?"

* * *

Maria rested her head on Georg's shoulder, as he reached over and grasped her hand. Sitting on the stone bench, this was one of her favorite places. She looked over at the gazebo, where she and Georg had shared their first kiss, just days before. Liesl and Friedrich were now in the lovely glass enclosure , excitedly talking and laughing together. Marta and Gretl were maneuvering dolls in the grass near Maria's feet, to her right and to Georg's left in the grass, Louisa, Brigitta, and Kurt were playing cards.

"This is Father doll, and this is Fraulein Maria doll, ok?" Marta took the dolls from her.

"Then you have to do it like this," She pressed the dolls faces together. "Because that's what they do all the time!" Maria blushed and sat up straight, the only part of her body remaining touching her fiancee's was her hand in his.

"Liesl?" Georg called to his daughter, "Can you keep everything under control? I need to go, uh, do something. I need Maria's help too." He squeezed her hand.

"Uh huh..." Liesl said knowingly, rolling her eyes.

* * *

Once on the porch, near the doorway into the house, Maria asked "What do you need to do?" He grinned.

"Well," he said, grasping Maria's free hand in his, so they were facing each other. "I need to tell you something." He let her hands go and placed them on her waist, and Maria shivered. She slid her hands around his neck, and he leaned down and softly kissed her. "I love you." He whispered against her lips, which caused shivers to run up and down her spine again.

They were interrupted though, by a gasp, and then footsteps running the other direction. Georg furiously ran past his daughter and began the chase.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates - not writer's block, I have just been too lazy to type it up. :-)**

* * *

Chapter 5:

"Liesl! Look!" Friedrich whispered to his sister, who was sitting next to him on that same stone bench. He gestured toward the figure that was behind a tree, trying to hide from everyone while attempting to capture Liesl's attention. She gasped softly. _Rolf_, she mouthed his name.

"Go Liesl, I'll cover for you." The young girl gave a grateful grin to her brother and hurried off toward the boy. When she reached him, she grabbed his hand and led him toward the terrace, to be out of sight from her siblings. Once far enough away, he spoke.

"Oh Liesl, I've missed you."

"And I, you." They continued to walk in the direction of the terrace, hand in hand, enjoying each others company, until Rolf heard Liesl gasp softly as she stopped walking. He looked at her eyes and followed her gaze to see Liesl's father and governess break from a kiss at the sound, which he would have questioned, had he not been so desperate to get away.

As he ran, he heard following footsteps, closer and closer, and he worried, _Liesl's father is a sea captain, he is sure to catch up with me. I don't know what—_His thoughts were broken when he suddenly felt his feet above his head, a sharp pain on his head, and everything went black.

Rolf opened his eyes, not sure of where he was or what had happened, but he was delighted to see Liesl knelt beside the couch where he lay. He also saw Maria and the Captain on the other side of the room talking, with worried looks on their faces, so he assumed he was on the inside of the von Trapp's house.

"Liesl?" She smiled, but shushed him.

"Father, he is awake now." Rolf sat up, and caught a water and blood soaked rag that fell off his forehead, and his eyes grew wide at the sight of the blood. The Captain walked over and crossed his arms. Rolf wasn't sure what he was expected to do, and he felt very uncomfortable, but the Captain just stood there, for he wanted to boy to feel uneasy. Ho looked at Liesl for help, but she had stood up and was under the arm of her governess, and she just gave him a half smile.

"Good evening Captain, uh, sir," Rolf stammered while looking down at his hands.

"Why were you on my property, Rolf?" He wasn't sure of how much Liesl had told her father, so he decided to stick with the truth.

"Sir, I...I came to see Liesl...sir. I am sorry." Frau Schmidt walked in and handed Georg a clean wet rag, and he placed it on the boys forehead.

"Hold that there." His voice was stern, but the fact that he was caring for him showed that he really wasn't cold hearted, so as the Captain started pacing, Rolf decided to ask a question.

"Uh, sir?" The Captain turned on his heel to face him, but said nothing. Rolf continued. "Um...what happened?"

"After you snuck onto my property to meet with my _young teenaged _daughter?" The Captain asked sarcastically, emphasizing the words. "You quite unwisely tried to run away from me. Doubtful that you would have escaped anyhow, but you tripped over a bloody tree root." The Captain smirked. "You hit your head and went unconscious, my eldest son and I brought you in here."

"Thank you, Captain,"

Georg looked over at his daughter's face. She really was becoming a woman. Some of his anger diminished, but there still was the matter of the boys family, and their political convictions that he certainly did not agree with. He sat down next to the boy on the couch.

"How old are you, son?"

"17, sir"

"I see. And are you my daughters, uh, boyfriend?"

"I-I'm not sure, Captain," he responded, but as he looked over at Liesl, she gave him a smile that made him quite sure, but he just smiled back and said nothing. The Captain sighed.

"Frau Schmidt will take care of your forehead," he said, and the housekeeper nodded, "Then run along home. I'm not angry but just...just go home." Rolf's eyes met Liesl's momentarily before he and Frau Schmidt disappeared through the doorway.

Later, in Georg's study, he sat at his desk, his head in his hands, unsure of what to do. He felt like everything was slipping away from him: his country, and his children, he still didn't know them. Since there has been music and laughter back into the house, things were no doubt better, but he still had a lot of catching up to do. In fact, there was only one thing in his life that he felt wasn't away from his grasp, the one thing that he felt joy and peace about, and that made everything else seem minuscule, like everything else was totally under control, and that was - _Knock, Knock_.

"Ave,"

And there she stood. Georg's study was dark, and the hall was light, but he could see her silhouette, and he recognized her.

"Oh Maria, darling, come in, come in." He stood up and walked toward her as she closed the door behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and she melted in his embrace.

"The children are all tucked in, even the older ones," she said into his sleeve.

"Thank you, my dear," Georg pulled apart slightly to kiss her forehead. He let her go with one arm and pulled the other tightly around her waist, and led her to a comfortable couch that sat near a fireplace, and sat down. His study was dimly lit, and warmer than the rest of the house. Books lined 2 of the walls from floor to ceiling, and he had a sliding ladder, which Maria thought to be amusing, yet impressive.

"I haven't read a third of those," he said with a chuckle, when he saw her eyeing the multitude of books, and she laughed. She pulled in toward him and laid her head on his chest as he stroked her hair. They both just watched the fire for a long time, until Georg finally spoke.

"Did you know about that boy that Liesl was with?" Maria looked down at Georg's jacket and traced the edges with her fingers, and nodded slowly.

"He was the boy that Liesl had snuck out with on my first night here, but she told me that she hadn't seen him in between then and today." Seeing the worried look in Maria's eyes, that he would be angry at her for not telling him, he drew her chin up and softly kissed her lips, and just held her there.

* * *

**TSoMfan - Yes! That is where I got the idea, I love Charmian Carr's book, and that picture of her and Nicholas Hammond was so sweet :-).**


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